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New Cigarette Tax Could Force Smokers to Quit

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Jun 4, 2007 1:58 pm US/Central

New Cigarette Tax Could Force Smokers to Quit

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ― Groups that help people stop smoking expect to see some new faces when Indiana's cigarette tax jumps by 44 cents in July.

Cigarette taxes will increase to nearly $1 per pack on July 1. The state expects over 23,000 adult smokers to quit smoking because of the tax increase.

Tobacco Free Boone County coordinator Delana Bennington says she's already getting phone calls from people who are ready to quit. She's adding another stop-smoking class to her organization's six-week class schedule.

Bennington's organization is one of 100 groups in 87 counties that get funding from the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation program.

The Indiana General Assembly increased funding to the program this year to $16 million, with over $1 million coming from higher cigarette taxes.

(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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